Strip-serving machine



June 2, 1925.

4 T. R. GAUTIER STRIP SERVING MACHINE Filed June v, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 12%?) 677/30? 1 2 02207 155. (ta/wiper;

June 2, 1925.

k R. GAUTIER STRIP SERVING MACHINE Filed June 7, 1925 4 sheet-sheet 2 Invenior. l ve-220218. Gaze/Z1?? Z19 5124M June 2, 1925.

T. R. GAUTIER STRIP SERVING MACHINE Fil ed June '7, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 177/71837/i07 r gzcbg orfiliauiwfi 3y 051513195.

June 2, 1 925.

' r. R., GAUTIER STRIP SERVING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June. '7, 1923 IIIIIIlIIIIIIIIIII/I/I Invenifor Tmv0rB.6ml/7Ziei Patented June 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,540,724 1 PATEM oFFIcE-Q rnnvon RANDALL GAUTIER, or NAsnUa, NEW Hmrsmnn, Assrdnon 'ro NAsEU'A GUMMED .& COATED PAPER COMPANY, OF NASHIUA, .NEW HAMPSHIRE, A COB- PORATION or MASSACHUSETTS.

STRIP-SERVING Application filed June 7,

T all whom it may concern.

Be it knownthat I,'TRE'VO1{ R. GAUTIER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Nashua, in the county of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented an Improvement in Strip Serving. Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on tion may bereadily understood, I have disthe drawings representing like parts.

. This invention relates'to strip serving ma-' chines, and particularly, to machines for serving strips of adhesive gummed tape for immediate application by the operator to a package, box or the like.

In order that the principle of'the inventhrough the strip roll support and adjacent portion of the frame or housing; I

Fig. 5 is a planview of the forward end 'of the machine, the cover of Fig. 3 being removed; Fig.5 is a vertical cross section upon the line 6+6 ofFig.5; p Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section takenthrough the forward part of the machine, the cover being removed;

Fig. 8 is aplan v-iew of the q reservoir and i its parts removed from the machine;

' Fig. 9 is a front transverse section upon Fig. 10 is an inside plan view of a gear carried by .the shaft of the moistener roll;

Fig. 11 "is a detail in vertical section through one ofthe side walls of the frame or" housing and adjacent parts; and L Fig. 12 is a rear elevation of the upper part of the reservoir.

. My invention, one type or'embodimen tv of w yhich is herein disclosed, constitutes'an improvement upon the strip serving-machines shown in the UnitedStates patentto Mor timer, No. 1,384,082, July 12,1921, and the. patent to 'Emmert, No. 1,442,058,.January .16, 1923. This application contains among 'ter common to it and'to my related eopendmg appl1cat1on,. Serial No. 714,592, filed I to strip serving machines of the type above mentioned, and which d scloses disclosed type. v I I particularly to the dra'w- I 'ings,the frame or housing of the machine is 1923. serial 643,907. I

its claims the broad-claims for subject mat- May 20,. 1924,. which latter likewise pertains and claims certain further improvements thereon and on the mechanism shown and described herein.

The machine of my invention is, as stated," intended to feed, cut, moisten and deliver strips of tape in adhesive condition to an' operator for immediate manual ap lication by him to the package to beseale Such machines-are well known in the art." They are intended. for rough'gener'al use, and in stores are almost constant use. It is therefore highly important that the con struction of the machine be such as to pre- 1 I vent breakage or disarrangement of parts necessitating delay or interruption in the use thereof. An importantobject of my in vention, therefore, is to improve the general structure ofsuch a machine in a number of ways having such end in view.

As the preferred embodiment of the in vention, I have disclosed a machine of the 7 general type shown-in the said patents, but obviously'my invention as to certain features at least may be used in other types of'strip serving machine. Thefeatures herein disclosed are, however, peculiarly adaptedgfor use in connection with av mechanism of the Referring more represented at 1 in the several figures, it havingopposite side castings which are suitably connected at bottom and rear as by tie members 2 shown in Fig. 7, in which are secured screws 3 and at the front by means. hereinafter described. The housing is preferabl provided with feet 4,1whioh'a're rub- .ber s 0d, as shown at 5. Within the rear. portion of the frame or housing between the sidewalls thereof is received a roll 6 of-desirabl previously gummed paper tape, a1

thong my inventlon may be applied m-oer tai'n aspects thereof to machines wherein an ungummed strip is fed from a roll past asuitable gum or adhesive apply g device. Desirably, however, the strip is reviously and is fed past the moisteneri general The strip may be of any suitable width, and it is important that one edge of the strip should be in a" fixed relation or alignment with the corresponding end of the feed roll. Therefore, as shown most clearly in Fi 2 and 1, I have provided means for ho din the strip roll 6 against the innerface of the left hand'wall looking toward the rear of the machine. In order to provide means for this purpose which will readilypermit'the insertion or r'ei'noval of the strip package: or the substitution of a wider or narrower package, 1 preferably provide a holding meansherein consisting of a circular disk or plate 7 carried by a spindle 8 extending through an opening!) in a lfilb 10in the, wall ofthe housing. Said spindle 8 is longitudinally grooved as indicated at 11 to asuflicient'de th to receive a spring 12 desirably bent as s own, and having end 13 inserted in a socket .14 in the spindle. The construction is such thatthe spring 12 presses outward against theiniier s which it is adjusted, thereby holding the in an the wall of the hub 10 with suflicient force to hold the plate or disk 7 in any position t roll or package firmly against the opposite wall of the housing. but permitting the. paper to be fedby the feeding means readily and-yet with suflicient friction or tension.

The feeding means may be of the general type shown in the said patents to Mortimer and Emmert, and tothat end I provide a hand operated or feed lever'15, shown most clearly in Fig. 1 as pivoted at 16 upon alat-' eral hub or pro ection from the housing, it bein provided with a strong coil spring 17 tendmg constantly to move said hand operated lever upwardly. Said lever is provided with a projection 18 to permit ready manual operation. The forward end of the lever is guided in its downward movement in a slotted member 19, the slot being of sufficient length to permit full movement of the lever, and thereby a feeding of 'a' sufiicient length of the strip. Any suitable means may be provided for limiting the length of strip to be fed and severed. I have herein represented for the purpose the said guide 19 as havinga plurality of downward y inclined, open-ended notches 20, 20,

one of which may be readily positione a looped member 21, thelower end of which in any position underlies the edge 22 of the lever 15, 18, and thereby limits downward movement. thereof. The lever 15 is provided with an internal, curved rack 23, which meshes with a pinion 24 p the movable severing blade before the feed-- said blade be ow the feeding plane of the strip. To thisv end, means may be employed upon the end of the shaft 25 of the feed roll 26. The construction is desirably such as to permit slight downward movement of ing of the stri commences,*thereby to bring substantially as shown in either of the said patents. v

The feed roll 26 ma be of any suitable size and is preferably ormed as a drum or hdllow metallic member-which at its end opposite the lever 15 18 is provided with a. gear 27 (Fi 6) f'st thereon or formed" therewith. 1 he said gear is intended to rotate the lower 'moistener roll 28, which is carried in a' suitable. reservoir 29. Inasmuch as forthe best construction the reser-.

voir 29 should be removable from the machine, it is evident that means should be provided permitting such removal of the reservoir with the least disassembling of the parts and particularly without disarrangement of gearing. To that end, I provide an intermediate gear 30 whichmeshes 'with' and is driven by the. eara27 on the feed drum or' roll. The sai gear 30 is loosely sup ported on a ve shorthub or stud formed with or secure t0 the inner face of that side wall of the frame or housin For the purpose 1; have represented a stu 31 having an inner head and held in place by an axially positioned screw. In order to revent said gear 30 from falling from position if and when the reservoir 29 is removed, I have provided an annular flange32 carried by the feed drum or roll 26 just inside the gear 27 of saidroll ordrum, and in such relation to the parts that at all times it prevents the intermediate gear 30 from being removed or falling from place. Said flange also acts as a guide for the edge of the paper at that side of the machine, and therefore serves a double purpose. a.

The moistencr roll 28 may be of any suitable material, but desirably it is of some suitable porous material, such as disclosed Inc in the said Mortimer patent: It is provided with a sleeve 33 itselfreceivin a' shaft 34- voir long the shaft of the moistener. The Wate seeps through the smallest openingand acting upon the outer face of the reserthat wall of the reservoir. 4 A great ty heretofore has been experienced I voir tendsto cause. corrosion thereof. I

have devised means, Wholly preventing the esca" of water from the reservoir yet permittmg the positive rotation of the moistener roll 28.? For this purpose I provide the shaft 34 with keys or feathers 36 which engage suitable notches in theend of the hub i or sleeve 33, and I integrally form upon or weld onotherwise suitablyisecure to the end of the shaft 34 a, gear 37 shown also in Fig. 10. Said gear upon its inner face has an annular groove 38 within which is retau ceived a suitable packing '39 contactin with the outer face 40 of the reservoir wa'l and in such a way as wholly to prevent the escape of'water from the reservoir.

. Difficulty has been found in providing a reservoir that will contain a moistener roll 'ofisufficiently' large size and yet will hold a sufiicient supply of water to last for a substantial length of time. Obviously if the moistener roll be of sufficient size toext'end nearly to the bottom of the reservoir, ther'eis little free space-for the reception of Water. .I have met this difficulty by providing a supplementalroll or member 41 of some suitable material, such as cork, said member being desirably of substantially the length of the moistener roll 28. Sai d roll 41 is provided with means to hold it yieldingly against said moistener roll 28, and for this purpose I have'herein provided a supporting frame having'a spring portion to hold said roll 4I against the moistener. For this :pur-

pose, I have provided the frame shown most clearly in Fig. 7. The frame, which is indicatedgenerally at 42. is of general rectangular, skeleton form, but is bent into a general V shape, as indicated in Fig. 7, the lowempo'rtions of the frame being springy and serving to hold the roll '41 against" the moistener. I have provided simple means for holding the frame securely andyet de- 'tachably in place. i For this purpose, I have frame 42. The said clip 43 at its rear, as

provided .an elongated clip member-43 which upon its inner face is provided with desir ably two downwardly ext-ending clips or members 44 to engage the fiat face 45 of the shown most clearly in Fig. 12, is provided with a plurality of and desirably three depending portions 46, some at least of which may have projections 47 temporarily to engage corresponding slight depression upon the outer rear wall of the reservoir 29, thusholding the clip member 43 firmly in posi- L tion yet permitting it to be'removed, and

therefore ermitting the frame 42 with its roll 41 to e-readily removedr' It is obvious that such construction is a simple one which can be'cheaply manufactured and yet one which provides a thoroughly eflicient means for securing the desired operation of parts. The reservoir is provided with an opening 49 which may be of any suitable character.

-Desirably the front wall of the. reservoir supports at its upperedge a clip member 50 which is generally similar to the clip member 43. it being provided with outer depend ing clips, 51 and'similar innerclips 52 between which is received the upper edge 53" 'of the front wall of the moistener. At a suitable point upon. its inner edge said clip member50 is formed with aprojection 54 constituting a stripper. Said stripper en-j 'gag'es' a suitable. peripheral groove 55 upon the moistener roll, thereby preventing the forward edge of the feeding strip from being carried down the surface of the moistener roll 28 as the latter rotates.

The reservoir 29'is provided with lateral k guides or flanges 56, 57 .shown'most clearly in'Fig. 9, and which are received upon inner flanges upon the inner faces of the side walls of the' frame or housing. A One of such flanges'is clearly shown-at 58 in Fig. 6. In order to hold the reservoir in position, and

yet in such a way as to permit the ready removal thereof, I have herein provided a rod 59 which is threaded at one end as indiat the top of the side walls of the reservoir near the front thereof. By rotating pin 59, the side walls at theirforward end may if desired, be sufliciently sprung or drawn together toengage frictionally the side walls of the reservoir, and thereby assistin main taming the same in position.-

The strip severing means is desirably of the type employing a fixed blade and a movable blade pivoted to cooperate there;

with... Blades'of the same general type are provementthereon. Difiiculty has hereto fore occurred in'the prolongedor continued useof strip severing means of the .general type herein disclosed, through constant heavy impact of the spring-impelled, handoperatedlever, such as 15,,with the movable member or. blade of the severing devices shown in the said patents,- but the means herein disclosed constitutes a marked im- 'Where the initial shock of impact is taken 5 1 by the movable blade. being brought against a a stop, not only issaid blade injured,- but it becomes displaced or sufficiently loosened,

so;that it doesnot effectively cooperate withthe fixed ,blade' I have provided means whereby the initial impact' is not taken by the movable blade nor initially by a sto for said blade, and I havefurther provide means. whereby the-impact of .the severing stroke of the blade is cushioned.

.' The fixed member of the severing device is represented most clearly in Figs; 5 andfi as a stationary blade 64' held in'position by screws 65. 65 securing said blade against .lateral-ly'fianged portions of the side walls of the housing. The lower edge of said blade is 'suiiiciently' sharpened and at the right hand'thereof. viewing .Fig. 6, there is provided a pivotal pin 66 whereon is.

suitably. mounted the movable blade -67.-

A coiled-sprin'g 68 which surrounds said pin and is secured to-the fined blade 64 at 69 and at its opposite end 70 takes over the upper edge of" the blade 67 tends to move the I Therefore immediately upon initial downward movement of the operating lever 15,

18, the movable blade 67 starts downward.

As shown most c'learly in-Fig. 1, the side wall of the frame or housing nearest the operating lever is provided. with an integral lug or abutment 71 positioned in the path of the lever. 15 and so located that in the upward movement of said lever, the latter first strikes the under edge of the movableblade 67, thereby moving said blade upward, but before said blade is itself'stopped or before it comes into engagement with any cushioning means, the upper edge of the operating lever 15 at 72 engages the under face of the lug 71. Thus the heavy or initial shock of movement of the lever is received directly by the housing of the machine and is absorbed thereby without injury to the parts. i

blade 67 which has been imposed or initiated by the rapid upward movement of the lever 15, causes said movable blade to continue upward after the edge 72 of the lever 15 has contacted with the stop or abutment 71,

and the upper edge 7 3 of said'movable blade then contacts with the lower end 7 4 of a pin 75 eatending downward from the under side of a preferably metallic strip 76 which, as shown most clearly in Figs. 5 and 7, is secured by screws77, 78 to theupper faces of spaced lugs 79, 80, in which one side wall of the frame or housing upwardly terminates. The strip 76 *is of suflicient width andis relatively narrow. so that it is very slightly springy, and thus the relatively slight or reduced impact of the severing blade 67 is readily absorbed by the pin 75 and its supporting strip 76.

The side wall of the frame or housing opposite the lugs 79, 80 isprovidedwith corresponding lug-like terminals 79, '80,

and upon these is secured a preferably .metallic strip 82 similar to the strip 76.,

In the lugs 79, 80 are provided lateral openings constituting bearin or supports for a-roll 83 desirably meta lie and preferably circumferentially grooved at spaced points, as indicated at 84 in Fig. 5. Said roll 83 acts to hold the severed strip down upon the moistener roll 28. Said roll 83 is desirably vertically yielding, and for that purpose the openings in the said lugs 79, are desirably sufiicientl enlarged as indicated in Fi 7. In a dition, springs, one of which is ndicated at 85, may be provided in the vertical sockets extending down to said enlarged openings or bearings, andbelow said springs "may be positioned the removable plugs or pins 86 if desired.

Similarly I'may' and desirably do provide above the feed roll or drum 26 a cooperating feed roll- 87 which desirably metallic and desirably circumferentially grooved as indicated at 88 in Fig. 5. The

said roll 87 has fast therewith a pinion 89 which directly meshes with the gear -27 upon the relatively large moistener roll. Said pinion 89, it will be observed, is out- In order to'guide the strip from its initial position as a roll or package 6, I provide any suitable means. Desirably I provide a horizontal portion of the metallic strip 90 The upward movement of the movable.

The said feed roll 26, as most clearly shown in Fig. 2, is circumferentially grooved, as'indicated at 97 in Fig. 2, and

the spaced. longitudinally extending parts side of or beyond the annular ring or flange 98 of the skeleton-like strip 90 are received in said grooves wherein they are sufficiently depressed to permit thesurface of the feeding tape or paper to rest upon the exposed portion 99 of the feed roll 26. and therefore to be fed by reason of such contact. The ring like portions 100 between the 'grooves 88 of the upper roll 87 contact-with the upper surface of the tape or paper, and thereby effect the feeding movement thereof.

Further to guide the feeding tape or paper, I may and desirably do provide two thin, springy, metallic strips 101, 102 respectively secured by screws 77, 103 and 7 8; 104 to the longitudinally extending metallic strips 76, 82. Each of saidstripsis of the I bent form shown and each may be and desirably is slotted to provide lower fingers 105, 106.

'Ovrlying the part of the framing having the lttgs 79,, 80, 79, 80', I provide a removable cover 107, shown in Figs. 1, 2, .3, 6. It is desirably a relatively heavy. metal piece extending the full width of the machine, and at one side it has a relatively long lateral projection, 108 overlyingthe pivoted end'of the movable severing blade and at itsother side it has a shorter lateral extension 109 overlying the opposite end of ably provide a spring 110, shown most clearly in Figs. and 6 as secured to a downwardly projecting lug lllupon 'the I under face of the cover. The said spring 110 is shaped as shown, so that its free, slightly yielding end 112' will, when the cover is pusheddownward into shape, ride; underv the longitudinally extending strip 76. Thus, the cover is held in position, but in 10 'sucha way that it can be removed by a :relatively slight application of upward pressure.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention,'I desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being, set forth in the following claims.

Claims:

. j 1. In a machine for serving strips of adhesive tape, a frame or housing having -opposite side Walls providing a space between them for supporting a package of tape in position to be drawn upon by the feeding means, one of said side walls constituting a lateral support for the tape package. a thin disk-like member constituting the opposite lateral support'for the tape package sa-id disk-like member having aspindle extending through an opening in the adjacent side wall, said spindle having a spring adapted to engage the wall of the opening and to sustain the disk-like member vand its spindlein any positionof lengthwise adjustment ofsaid spindle, whereby any width of package or tape receivable between the said sidewalls may be supported in proper position for feeding.

2. In a machine for serving strips of adhesive tape, a frame or housing having. opposite side walls providing a space between them for supporting a package of tape in position to be drawn upon by the feeding means, one of said side walls constituting a lateral support for the tape an position of lengthwise adjustment of said spindle, and whereby any width package of tape receivable between the Saidside walls may be supported in proper position for feeding. r r e i I 3. In a inachine for serving strips of adhesive tape, a frame or housing having oppositeside walls and with provisions for supporting a package of tape, tape feeding means including a rotatable member having a gear at one end thereof, a reservoir supported for ready withdrawal between the sides of the frame or housing, a rotatable moistener supported in said reservoir and removable therewith as a unit, a gear fast with said moistener and removable with said reservoir, an intermediate gear mounted for rotation upon the inner face of one side wall of the housing-and adapted to mesh with both said previously mentioned gears, and means for supporting said intermediate gear in operative position between the side walls when the reservoir with its moistener. and

gear are withdrawn.

4. Ina machine for serving strips of adhesive tape, a frame or housing having opposite side walls and with provisionsfor supporting a package of tape, tape feeding means including a rotatable member having a gear at one end thereof, a reservoir supported for ready withdrawal between the sides of the frame or housing, a rotatable moistener supported in said reservoir and removable therewith as a unit, a gear fast with said moistener and removable with said reservoir, and an intermediate gear mounted for'rotation upon the inner face of one side wallof the housing and adapted to mesh with. both said previously mentioned gears, said rotatable member having aflange adjacent its gear and adapted to extend sufficiently past said intermediate gear to support the same in position when the reservoir with its moistener and gear are with-.

drawn. v

5. Ina machine for serving strips of ad-. hesive'tape, a frame or housing having oppositegside walls and with provisions for supporting a package of tape, tape feeding means and tape severing means, said severing means including a fixed blade and a movable blade mounted for opening movement downward from the service pathof the strip ortape, an operating member for the severing blade adapted to impact therewith. and thereby to move the same upwardly into strip severing relation with the fixed blade, and an abutment upon the frame or housing against which said operatingmember is adapted to'impactbefore the movable-severing blade reaches the end of its movement, thereby absorbing shock from said operating member and preventing said movable blade from itself receiving the full shock of operating, movement.

' 6. In a machine for serving'strips of adhesive tape, a frame or housing having o-p-v posite side walls and JWlth provisions for supporting a package of tape, tape feeding means and tape severingmeans, said severing means including a 'fixed blade and a movable blade mounted for opening movement downward from the service path of the strip or tape, an operating member for the severing blade adapted to impact therewith, and thereby to move the same upwardly into strip severing relation with the fixed blade, an abutment upon th frame or housing to receive impact of the operating member in its upward movement, and a stop or abutment for the severing blade in its impelled upward movement, positioned to receive contact of the blade after contact between the operating member and its said abutment.

7. In a machine for serving strips of adhesive tape, a frame or housing having 0pposite side walls and with provisions for supporting a package of tape, tape feeding means and tape severing means, said severing means including a fixed blade and a movabl blade mounted for opening movement downward from. the service path of the strip or tape, an operating member for the severing blade adapted to impact therewith, and thereby to move the same upwardly into strip severing relation with the fixed blade, and a lug .or abutment upon the side wall of the frame or housing positioned to be engaged by the edge of the operating member that engages the movable severing blade, so located as to be engaged by said operating member before the upward movement of the severing blade is completed.

8. In a machine for serving strips of adhesive tape, a frame or housing having opposite side walls and with provisions for supporting a package of tape, tape feeding means an tape severing means, said severing means including a fixed blade and a movable blade mounted for opening movement downward from the service path of the strip or tape, an operating member for the severin blade adapted to impact therewith, and t ereby to move the same upwardly into strip severing relation with the fixed blade, a lug or abutment upon. the side wall of the frame or housing positioned to be engaged by the edge of the operating member that engages the movable severing blade, so located as to be engaged by said operating member before the upward movement of the severing blade is completed, and

cushionin means above the severing blade and positloned to be engaged thereby subsequent to the engagement of said operating member with said lug or abutment.

' 9. In a'machine for serving strips of adhesive tape, a frame or housing having opposite side walls and with provisions for supporting a package of tape, tape feeding fmeans and tape severing means, said severing means including a fixed blade and a movable blade mounted for opening movementdownward from the service path of the strip or tape, a pivoted, upwardly spring-actuated, operating member for the severing blade adapted to impact therewith and thereby to move the same upwardly into strip severing relation with the fixed blade, a lug or abutment upon the side wall of the frame or housing positioned to be engaged by the edge of the operating memhesive tape, a frame or housing having opposite side walls and with provisions for means and tape severing means, said severing means mcludmga fixed blade and a movable'blade mounted for opening movement downward from the service'path of the strip or tape, a. pivoted, upwardly spring-actuated, operating member for the severing blade adapted to impact therewith and thereby to move the same upwardly into strip severing relation with the fixed blade,

a lug or abutment upon the side wall of the frame or housing positioned to be engaged by the edge of the operating member that engages the movable severing blade, '50 located as to be engaged by said operating member before the upward movement of the severing blade is completed, and cushioning means above th severing blade and positioned to be engaged thereby subsequent to the engagement of said operating member with said lug or abutment.

11. In a machine for severing strips ofadhesive tape, a frame or housing having opposite side walls and with provisions for supporting a package of tape. rotatable tape feeding means and tape severing means, said supporting a package of tape, tape feeding severing means including a fixed blade and a movable blade mounted for opening movement downward from the service path of the strip or tape, an operating member for the severing blade having means for operating saidfeeding means in one direction of movement and adapted to move the sevsupporting a package of tape. rotatable tape feeding means and tape severing means, said severing means including a fixed blade and a movable blade mounted for opening movement downward from the service path of the strip or tape, an operating member for the severing blade having means for operating said feeding means in one direction of movement and adapted to move the severing means upwardly into strip severing relation with the fixed blade,a lug or abutment upon the side wall of the frame or housing po- "sitione'd to be engaged by the edge of the operating member that engages tlie'movable severing blade, so located as \to be engaged by said operating member before the upward movement of the severing blade is completed, and cushioning means above the severing blade and positioned to be engaged thereby subsequent to the engagement of said operating member with said-lug or abutment.

1 3. In a machine for serving strips of adhesive tape, "a frame or housing having op- 'moistening means, said reservoir and said side walls having openings whicl are aligned transversely of the machine when thereservoiris positioned, and a securingfpin 59- adapted to be passed through said openings and having means for engagement with one of them, whereby the reservoir is held in position between the side walls of said frame or housing.

14. In a machine for serving strips of adhesive tape, a frame orhousing having opposite side walls providing a bottomed chamber between them for supporting a package oftape in-position to be drawn upon, feeding means for the tape, means to operate the feedin Imeans for the tape including a rotata 1e member, operating means for said rotatable member, and a readily removable guiding strip of resilient material for the tape fromsaid chamber, with means for supporting the same toextend over the rotatable member of,the feeding means and beneath and resiliently to bear against the bottom of the chamber for 1 the tape package. I

15. In a machine for serving strips of adhesive tape, a frame or housing having opposite side walls providing a chamber between them for supporting a package of tape 'in position to be drawn upon, feeding means including a pair of feed rolls, at least one of which is provided with circumferen tial grooves, and a resilient guiding strip longitudinally slotted to provide spaced members adapted to lie in the grooves ofsaid-feed roll butpermitting the tape to contact with the feed roll between said memhers, said guiding strip-being prolonged so as to extend continuously from said feed roll andalong the path of the tape to the package-receiving chamber and having its rear end supported thereat whereby the feeding end of the tape is continuously guided from its initial position in saidchamber to said feed roll to insure its proper engagement with the latter. I I I lit-Ina machine for serving strips of adhesive tape, aframe or housing having opposite side walls providing a chamber between them for supporting a package of tape in position to be drawn upon, feeding means including a pair of feed rolls, at least one of which is provided with circumferential grooves, a resilient, readily removable;

guiding strip longitudinally slotted to pro-- vide spaced members adapted to lie in the.

grooves of said feed roll but permitting the tape to contactwith the feed roll between said members, said strip extending to and resiliently engaging and being supported for ready removal by an overhanging wall of the tape package receiving chamber, and severingmeans inadvance of the feeding I means.

tween them for supporting a package of tape and 'positioned to be drawn upon, strip feeding and severing'nieans in advance of saidsupported tape package, and a cover having a spring member se'curedto its under side and adapted yieldingly toengage the frame or housing so as to hold the cover in position. I I 18. In a machine for servingstrips of. adhesive tape, a frame or housing having opposite side walls providing a space between them for supporting a package of tapein position to be I drawn upon, a reservoir adapted to'be received and supported between said side walls, a rotatable moistener in saidreservoir, moisture feeding means for sa d moistener n said reservoir below the moistener and having a surface movable with said moistener, and spring means carl) rying said moisture feeding means and itself supported by the reservoir.

19. In a machine for serving strips of adhesive tape, a frame or housing having opposite side walls providing a space between them for supporting a package of tape in position to be drawn upon, a reservoir adapted to be received and supported between said side walls, a'rotatable moistener in said reservoir, moisture feeding means in said reservoir below the-moistener, a yielding frame supporting said moisture feeding means, and means detach-ably to connect said frame to a wall of said reservoir.

20. In a machine for serving strips of adhesive tape, a frame or housing having opposite side walls: providing a space betweenthem for supporting a package of tape in position to be drawn ,upon, a reservoir adapted to be received and supported be tween said side walls, a rotatable moistener in said reservoir, said moistener having a shaft extendingthrough a lateral. wall of the reservoir, a gear upon the outer end of said shaft, means for rotating said gear, said gear having packing adapted to engage the outer face of the reservoir about the opening in the side wall thereof, thereby preventing escape of moisture from thereservoir.

' 21. In a machine for serving strips of adhesive tape, a frame or housing having upright side walls providing a space between them for supporting a package of tape in position to be drawn upon by the feeding means, one of said side walls constituting a lateral support for the tape package, a thin disk-like member constituting the opposite lateral support for the tape package, said disk-like member having fast therewith a spindle extending through an opening in the adjacent side wall and longitudinally movable therein to selected position with its attached disk-like member for supporting the tap'mpackage between said disk-like member and the opposite wall of the frame or housmg.

22. In a machine for serving strips of adhesive tape, a frame or housing having opposite side walls and with-provisions for supporting a package of tape, tape feeding means and tape severing means, said severing means including a fixed blade and a movable blade mounted for opening movement away from the service path of'the strip or tape, an operating member for the severing blade adapted to impact therewith, andthereby move the same into strip severing relation with the fixedblade, and an abutment upon the frame or housing against which said operating member is adapted to impact before the movable severing blade reaches the end of its movement, thereby absorbing the shock from said operating member and preventing said movable blade from itself receiving the full shock of operating movement.

23. In a machine for serving strips of adhesive tape, a frame having provisions for supporting the package oftape, tape feeding means and tape severing means, said severing means including a fixed blade and amovable blade mounted for opening move ment away from the service path of the strip or tape, an operating member for the severing blade adapted to impact therewith, and thereby move the same into strip severing relation with the fixed blade, and an abutment upon the frame or housing against which said operating member is adapted to impact before the movablesevering blade reaches the end of its movement, thereby absorbing the shock from said operating member and preventing said movable blade from itself receiving the full shock of operating' movement. 24. In a machine for serving strips of adhesive tape, a frame or housing having opposite side walls between which the package or roll of tape may be positioned for feeding movement, a reservoir adapted to be positioned between said side walls and having moistening means and securing means to engage the side walls of the reservoir and the side walls of the frame or housing.

25. In a machine for serving strips of adhesive tape, a frame or housing having opposite side' walls between which the package or roll of tape maybe positioned for feeding movement, a reservoir adapted to be positionedbetween said side walls and having moistening means, and means for springing together the side walls of the reservoir and the corresponding walls of the frame or housing so as detachably to hold the reservoir in position within the frame or housing.

26. In a machine for serving strips of adhesive tape, a frame or housing having opposite side walls providing a place between them for supporting a package of tape in position to be drawn'upoma reservoir adapted to be received and supported between said side walls, a rotatable moistener in said reservoir, said moistener having a shaft extending through a lateral wall of the reservoir'. a gear fast upon the outer'end of said shaft, and means for rotating said gear all and moistener, said gear having an annular groove and a packing in said groove to engage the adjacent stationary outer face of the reservoir. thereby elfectively preventing escape of moisture from the reservoir.

27. In a machine for serving strips of adhesive tape, a frame or housing having opposite side walls providing a space between them for supporting a package of tape in position to be drawn upon, a reservoir adapted tobe received and supported between said side walls, a rotatable moistener in said reservoir, said moistener having a sleeve provided at one end with a notch. a shaft "loosely mounted in said sleeve and extending through a lateral wall of said reservoir,

said shaft having a key thereon removably to engage said ,notch. a gear fast upon the outer end of said shaftoutside the reservoir, means for rotating said gear, and means for preventing escape of moisture along said shaft to the exterior of the reservoir.

28. In a machine for serving strips of; adhesive tape, a frame or housing having opposite side walls providing a space between them for supporting the package or tape in position to be drawn upon, a reservoir adapted to be received and supported between said sidewalls, a rotatable moistener in said reservoir, a moisture feeding roll 41, and a yielding frame in said reservoir supporting said-roll 41in moisture feeding-relation to-said rotatable moistener.

29. Ina machine for serving strips of adhesive tape, a frameor housing having opposite side walls providing a space between them for supporting the package. or tape in position to bedrawn upon, a reservoir adapted to be received and supported llU I between said side walls, a rotatable moistener in said reservoir, a moisture feeding roll' ll, a yieldable frame for supporting said roll 41 in the reservoir, and means for detachably securing said frame to a wall of the reservoir.

30. In a machine for serving strips of adhesive tape, a frame or housing having opposite side walls providing a space between them for supporting a package of tape in position to be drawn upon, a reservoir adapted to 'be received and supported between said side walls, a main, rotatablemoistener in said reservoir having a substantial portion thereof below the high liquid level whereby normally moisture is received directly by said main moistener, an auxiliary, moisture feeding roll of smaller diameter than said main moistener and positioned in said reservoir below the latter, and means in said reservoir supporting said auxiliary roll in position to transfer moisture to said main moistener by contact therewith thereby to supply the same with moisture when the liquid falls below the lowest portion of said main moistener.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

'TREVOR RANDALL GAUTIER. 

